Chicagoland talent fight: Compass, @properties trade suburban brokerage teams

North Shore husband-wife team, western suburbs group switch affiliations

Compass and @properties Christie’s International Real Estate have exchanged their latest blows in their ongoing fight for Chicagoland’s residential agent talent, with each landing a suburban specialist team from the other.

North Shore husband-and-wife team Aly and Justin Tesar joined @properties Christie’s International Real Estate from Compass, while a team led by Tom Makinney that includes Jill Giorno and Jen Goodale went the other way, to Compass from @properties.

The Tesars — whose sales volume totaled almost $25 million over the last 12 months and has surpassed $25 million so far in 2023 since the beginning of the year, according to MLS data — will continue to be based in Winnetka. A Compass spokesperson declined to comment on their departure.

“They’re just kind of this beloved couple that has been in the business for a long time and they’ve done a lot of work on the North Shore,” said Tom Downing, managing broker in @properties Christie’s Winnetka office.

The Makinney group is based in DuPage County, specializing in Elmhurst and nearby western suburbs. The team’s sales volume for the last 12 months was about $25.6 million and has topped $20 million year-to-date, according to MLS data.

“The Compass platform and support will empower us to offer even greater resources and support for our clients while staying at the forefront of industry innovation,” Makinney said in a statement.

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The moves come on the heels of two other agents, Anne Hodge and Debra Dodds, leaving @properties Christie’s International Real Estate for Compass late last month. Compass also snagged Berkshire Hathaway Home Services agent Meredith Pierson in January.

Compass established its Chicago presence in 2017. The firm now has 22 offices across the metro area and more than 1,600 licensed agents, while @properties Christie’s International Real Estate is the largest brokerage in the region by sales volume.

The Tesars have worked as a team since 2013, first affiliated with Coldwell Banker before moving to Compass, according to LinkedIn.

Makinney has been in real estate for 25 years, according to his website. Giorno began working with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate in 2017, and Goodale started in 2018, according to LinkedIn.

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Editor’s note: This story was updated to adjust the total sales volume figures of the brokerage teams.